Mail-bag-delivery device.



PATENTED JULY 11, 1905.

?.J.A.SOHNO0R. MAIL BAG DELIVERY DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED APR,26.1905.

a QN WITNESSES No; 794,554.- PATBNTED JULY 11, 1905. P. J. A. scrmooa.

MAIL BAG DELIVERY DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED APB-26.1905.

2 SKBETS-SHEET 2' w ATTORNEYS i No. 794,554.

Nrrnn STATES Patented July 11, 1905.

ATENT OFFICE.

MAIL-BAG-D ELIVERY DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 794,554, dated July 11,1905.

Application filed April 26, 1905. Serial No. 257,447.

T 0 all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, PETER J. ADoLP SoHNooR, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Holstein, in the county of Ida and State ofIowa, have invented new and Improved Mail-Bag-Delivery Devices, of whichthe following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to mail-bag-delivery devices for railway-cars;and it consists, substantially, in the construction, organization, andcombinations of parts hereinafter particularly described, and pointedout in the claims.

Oneof the principal objects of the invention is to provide devices ofthis character which are simple in construction and organization, aswell as effective and reliable in operation, and also possessingthecapacityfor long and repeated service.

A further object is to overcome numerous disadvantages and objectionscommon to many devices of the kind hitherto devised and also to provideastrong and durable cooperative structure comprising comparatively fewparts, not liable to get out of order, and which may be readilyassembled for use and again dismantled, as occasion may require.

The above and additional objects are attained by means substantiallysuch as are shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is atransverse sectional veiw of a railway mail-car and showing myimprovement embodied in connection therewith. Fig. 2 is a detail view,in side elevation and part section, showing the retaining and operatingdevices for the swinging crane within the car, the crane being inreleased position and swung partly through the door-opening in the sideof the car. Fig. 3 is a sectional view in detail on the line 3 3 of Fig.1, indicating the manner in which the mail-bags are suspended both onthe derrick at the station and the crane within the car to enable thebag at the station to be taken up by the crane and the one on the craneto be delivered iipon the derrick. Fig. 4 is a plan view indi catingmore clearly the construction and organization of the elementsconstituting the head of the swinging crane within the mailcar. Fig. 5is an enlarged part-sectional detail view of the brake devices for theswinging crane. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the brake devices, showing theupright member of the swinging crane in section. Fig. 7 is a sectionaldetail view of the horizontal member of the swinging crane. Fig. 8 is anenlarged end view of Fig. 7, showing more clearly the device for lockingin extended position the extensible section of the horizontal member ofthe swinging crane. showing how the crane is engaged by the re tainingdevice therefor, and Fig. 10 is a detail view to show the special formof suspensory for the mail-bags.

Before proceeding-with a more detailed description it may be stated thatin the form of my improvements herein shown I employ aspecially-constructed derrick at each of the railway-stations or otherplaces at which the mail-bags are to be delivered and taken up by thedevices on the car, and within the car I employ a specially-constructedswinging crane, combined with retaining devices therefor, as well asoperating devices and specially-constructed brake devices for preventingthe motion of the car from causing the mail-bag to be carried tooviolently within the car as'the' crane is caused to be swung in aninward direction.

In operation a mail-bag is suspended from one of twospecially-constructed supports on the derrick at the station orrailwayside, and a bag is also suspended from the head at the free orouter extremity of the extensible section of the member of the crane,after which the crane is swung or turned so as to carry the bagoutwardly from the side of the car. As the car moves along the mail-bagon the one support on the derrick will be taken up by the head of thecrane,--and the mail-bag on the crane-headwill be delivered to the othersupport on the derrick. During this action Fig. 9 is a detail view thehorizontal member of the crane will be 5 held rigidly in outwardposition by the retaining devices for the crane, but immediately thetransfer of the mail-bags takes place the operator within the carreleases the crane, whereupon the said horizontal member (together withthe bag on the crane-head) will be caused to be swung or carried withinthe car by the powerful resistance of air which the bag encounterscaused by the rapid motion of the car. By proper manipulation of thebrake devices the bag may be arrested at a position within the car to bereadily and quickly removed, as will hereinafter more fully appear.Accordingly as the motion of the carmaybe in one direction or the othersay east or west-the mail-bag to be taken up at the station is suspendedfrom that portion of the support therefor on the derrick which extendsor points in the direction of such motion, while the mail-bag to bedelivered at the station from the car is suspended from that portion ofthe crane-head which extends or points in the reverse direction to thatin which the car may be moving. The horizontal member of the crane ismade extensible or telescopic to enable the bag to be held any desireddistance outwardly from the car and also to enable the member to beshortened up to permit said member and its suspended bag to be readilyswung through the door-opening in the side of the car. It should beadded that a special suspensory device is employed on each mail-bag, andwhile I have herein represented my improvements in a certain preferredembodiment'it will be understood, of course, that I am not limitedthereto in precise detail, since immaterial changes therein may beresorted to coming within the scope of my invention.

Reference being had to the drawings by the designating characters markedthereon,

1 represents a derrick located at the station or other place at whichthe mail-bags are to be both taken up and delivered, the same comprisingan upright 2, having a vertical re cess 3 extending a suitable distancefrom the upper end thereof and also provided at one side with a smallhinged door 4, which closes an opening 5, leading to said recess.Working vertically within this recess is a rack-bar 6, the teeth 7 ofwhich are engaged by the teeth of a pinion 8, mounted to be turnedwithin said opening 5, and extending at right angles from the upper endof said rack-bar are duplicate arms 9 and 10, (see Figs. 1 and 3,) whichextend at right angles to the direction of motion of the mail-car 11.Fastened to the free end of the arm 9 is a mail-bag support 12, curvedslightly upward at each end 'at 13, said support extending at rightangles to arm 9, or in the direction of the motion of the car, withsubstantially equal portions thereof on either side of said arm 9.Fastened to the free end of the arm 10is another mailbag support 14,inclined slightly downward port 12.

Secured to the bottom of the car 11, close to one vertical edge of theopening 16 in the side of the car, is an upright frame 17, extendingupwardly a suitable height and alongside of which is a short standard18, also secured to the bottom of the car. (See Figs.1 and 5.) Mountedto turn in the base and top of the frame 17 is the upright member 18 ofa crane 19, the other or horizontal member of which is constructed of ahollow section 20, rigid with the upright member 18 at 21 and having abrace 22 connecting the same with said member.- Slidable Within thehollow section 20 is an extensible section 23, which is centrallyjointed at 24 and provided at its inner end with a handle 25,

which is capable of being turned on a pin 26, projecting from such end,thus to be carried within a catch 27 projecting from the correspondingend of the hollow section 20 to pre vent the said section 23 from beingaccidentally forced inwardly from the position it occupies when thehorizontal member is projected outwardly from the car with a mailbag,the locked position of this section 23 being shown in Figs. 1, 7, and 8.Supported at the outer end of the extensible section 23 at right anglesthereto is a crane-head 23, which extends for a suitable length beyondthe section in either direction, said head being constructed of parallelrods 29, bent slightly outwardly from each other at 30 on either side ofsaid section 23 and brought together at the ends substantially in theform of arrows 31. (See Fig. 4.) Located intermediate of the parallelrods 29 is a shorter rod 32, also supported at the outer end of theextensible section 23, said shorter rod hav ing mounted on each of itsends a cross-head 33, which is slidable on the adjacent portions of saidparallel rods 29. Working on each portion of the shorter rod 32 is aspring 34, one end of which has its bearing against one side of theextensible section 23 and the other end of which bears against thecorresponding cross-head. Extending inwardly from each arm 31 is anupwardly-curved spring 31 the inner end of which is free.

The upright member 18 of the crane is provided at 35 with a beveledgear-wheel Which is engaged by a beveled pinion 36, mounted on a shaft37, supported by frame 17 and standard 18, said shaft also havingmounted thereon a brake-drum 38 and an operating hand-wheel 39. Fastenedto said standard 18 is the lower end of a brake-lever 40, which iscurved at 41 to fit partly around said brake-drum, said lever havingconnected thereto at.42 the lower end of a rod 43, the upper end ofwhich is connected to one arm of a'retaining device 44, having in theother arm thereof a notch in which a portion of the horizontal member ofthe crane is received to hold the crane in outward position, the saiddevice being normally held in horizontal positi'on by means of a spring45. (See Figs.

1, 2, and 9.)

The operation is as follows: A mail-bag 46 is hung upon thatportion ofthe head of the crane extending in the reverse direction to the motionof the car, and another bag 47 is suspended upon that portion of thesupport 12 on the derrick which extends in the same direction as themotion of the car. The crane, with its bag, is swung outwardly bymanipulating the beveled-gear connections for the upright member of thecrane, and the said crane is engaged to be held in this position by theretaining devices already described. As the car passes the derrick theforward arrow of the crane-head passes through the loop 48 of thesuspensory 49 of bag 46, and said loop rides said arrow until it passesbehind the raised inner end of the adjacent spring 31 the bag in thisway being caught by the crane-head and lifted from the derrick, and thecorresponding cross -head and spring therefor affording a yieldingresistance for the bag. Immediately following this action the rearwardarrow 31 passes through the suspensory 49 (same in form as 49) of bag47, and in virtue of the obstruction afforded by the arms 9 and of thederrick said bag 47 is caused to be dropped upon therearwardly-extending portion of the 1 mail-bag support 14 of thederrick. The operator then presses down on brake-lever 40, whichreleases the retaining device from engagement with the derrick, as isapparent, and then the crane and its bag will be caused to be swungwithin the car, as already explained. This pressure on lever alsoproduces the desired braking effect for the purpose also alreadyexplained, and it may be stated that before the lever 40 is operated thejointed extensible section is drawn inwardly, so as to shorten up thehorizontal member of the crane for the purpose hereinbefore-set forth,the inner portion of the section being then turned downwardly, so as notto be in the way of the operator.

By constructing the upper part of the derrick with the rack-bar it isapparent that the said upper part may be raised or lowered, as desired,through the medium of the operating-pinion for said rackbar, thusenabling a \ready conformability to variations of track and waysidelevels.

It will of course be understood that the swinging crane and itsauxiliaries may be supported at either side within the car, according tothe direction in which it may be moving.

Having thus described the invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent 1. In mail-bag-delivery devices for cars, a derrick atthe station of delivery, having a support for a suspension-loop for abag, and also a support for a similar loop for another support for asuspension-loop for a bag, and

also a support fora similar loop for another bag, extending in thereverse direction, a

swinging crane on the car having a horizontal member provided with ahead extending from either side thereof at right angles, means forretaining the said horizontal member outwardly from the car at rightangles to the side thereof, devices for operating said means to releasethe horizontal member to permit inward movement thereof, a brakeactuated from said devices for regulating such inward movement, saidbrake comprising a drum, and a hand-lever bent to partially embrace thedrum on the application of pressure to the lever.

3. In mail-bag-delivery devices for cars, a derrick at the station ofdelivery, having a support for a suspension-loop for a bag, and also asupport for a similar loop for another bag, extending in the reversedirection, a swinging crane on the car having a horizontal memberprovided with a head extending from either side thereof at right angles,means for retaining the said horizontal member outwardly from the car atright angles to the side thereof, devices for operating said means torelease the horizontal member to permit inward movement thereof, agearwheel on the crane, and an independentlymounted similar wheelengaging the same for effecting such inward movement.

4. In mail-bag-delivery devices for cars, a derrick at the station ofdelivery, having a support for a suspension-loop for a bag, and also asupport for a similar loop for another bag, extending in the reversedirection, a swinging crane on the car having a horizontal memberprovided with a head extending from either side thereof at right angles,

means for retaining the said horizontal member outwardly from the car atright angles to the side thereof, and devices for operating said meansto release the horizontal member to permit inward movement thereof, saidderrick comprising parallel arms from which the aforesaid supportsextend at right angles in either direction.

5. In mail-bag-delivery devices for cars, a derrick at the station ofdelivery, having a support for a suspension-loop for a bag, and also asupport for a similar loop for another bag, extending in the reversedirection, a swinging crane on the car having a horizontal memberprovided with a head extending from either side thereof at right angles,means for retaining the said horizontal member outwardly from the car atright angles to the side thereof, devices for operating said means torelease the horizontal member to permit inward movement thereof, saidhead comprising parallel rods extending to either side of the horizontalmember and bent together at the ends to form arrows, an intermediateshorter rod also extending to either side of said horizontal member,cross-heads movable thereon and on said parallel rods,

upwardlyinclined springs extending inwardly from the ends of the head,and cushioning-springs for the cross-heads carried by said intermediaterod.

6. In mail-bag-delivery devices for cars, a derrick at the station ofdelivery, having a support for a suspension-loop for a bag, and also asupport for a similar loop for another bag, extending in the reversedirection, a swinging crane on the car having a horizontal memberprovided with a head extending from either side thereof at right angles,means for retaining the said horizontal member out wardly from the carat right angles to the side thereof, and devices for operating saidvmeans to release the horizontal member to permit inward movementthereof, said derrick comprising'an upright having a vertical recess inits upper part, a vertically-adjustable member having a rack-bar workingin said recess, and a pinion located in the opening in the side of theupright and engaging said rack-bar.

7. In mail-bagdelivery devices for cars, a derrick at the station ofdelivery, having a support for a suspension-loop for a bag, and also asupport for a similar oop for another bag, extending in the reversedirection, a swinging crane on the car having a horizontal memberprovided with a head extending from either side thereof at right angles,means for retaining the said horizontal member outwardly from the car atright angles to the side thereof, and devices for o crating said meansto release the horizonta member to permit inward movement thereof, saidhorizontal member being hollow and provided with an extensible section.

8. In mail-bag-delivery devices for cars, a

derrick at the station of delivery, having a support for asuspension-loop for a bag, and also a support for a similar loop foranother bag, extending in the reverse direction, a swinging crane on thecar having a horizontal member provided with a head extending fromeither side thereof at right angles, means for retaining the saidhorizontal member out wardly from the car at right angles to the sidethereof, and devices for operating said means to release the horizontalmember to permit inward movement thereof, said horizontal member beinghollow and provided with a jointed extensible section.

9. In maiLbag-delivery devices for cars, a derrick at the station ofdelivery, having a support for a suspensionloop for a bag, and also asupport for a similar loop for another bag, extending in the reversedirection, a swinging crane on the car having a horizontal memberprovided with a head extending from either side thereof at right angles,means for retaining the said horizontal member outwardly from the car atright angles to the side thereof, and devices for operating said meansto release the horizontal member to permit inward movement thereof, saidhorizontal member being hollow and provided at its inner end with acatch, and being also provided with a jointed extensible section havingat the inner end thereof a rotatable handle adapted to be engaged bysaid catch.

10. In mail-bag-delivery devices for cars, a derrick at the station ofdelivery, having a support for a suspension-loop for a bag, and also asupport for a similar loop for another bag, extending in the reversedirection, a swinging crane on the car having a horizontal memberprovided with a head extending from either side thereof at right angles,means for retaining the said horizontal member outwardly from the car atright angles to the side thereof, and devices for o erating said meansto release the horizonta member to permit inward movement thereof, saidmeans being spring-controlled.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

, PETER J. ADOLP SCHNOOR. Witnesses i CORNELIUS H. LooP, ALBERT G.MERKLEY.

